A loyalty is a perceived moral obligation. It may be a misplaced sense of obligation, but people will be loyal to what they believe to be morally important. A street gang, a family, and a religious denomination are alike in the sense they have, even if unwritten, a list of moral obligations to the group. This moral sense of duty to a specific group can be heroic or demonic. History is full of examples of great sacrifice and heroism done for the benefit of one's group or people. On the other hand sectarian loyalties have led to unbelievable barbarism.
Slavery depended on sectarian loyalty. It was so obviously morally bankrupt it had to be defended by pitting white against black, north against south, states rights against the federal government, Democrat against Republican. The slave holders had to depend on the racial, regional and political prejudices to overcome the moral perverseness of their cause. If the Americans who lived then had their moral priorities (loyalties) in order there would have been no reason to fight the Civil War. Before we pass judgement on that generation however we have our own issues. Pro-abortion advocates use the same tactics on this generation. They pit male against female, Conservative against liberal, the religious against non-religious, Republican against Democrat. When an issue is made into a sectarian cause and the sectarian loyalty card is used the most awful practice can be defended by simply playing upon man kinds tribal instincts.
This is the very reason I believe my loyalties should be prioritized. There is a higher moral obligation that transcends any sectarian affiliation I have here on earth. Just because something happens to benefit my segment of society does not make it right. It is also true that something that may inconvenience me and mine is not necessarily wrong. There are moral truths that apply universally and are worth my loyalty to them. No matter what my country, community, church, party or family believe and practice, my first obligation is to the Biblical God.
The reason I use the term, "Biblical God." If I do not use a written revelation of God and His will, I can make my own god and conveniently apply to him any attributes or tenets I feel necessary to justify any behavior at any time. The Biblical God set parameters for our behavior and the Bible prioritizes our allegiances. It takes into account our desire to belong to a community and be affiliated with like minded individuals. Loyalty is an honorable trait that inspires great acts of courage and human sacrifice. But misplaced loyalties can be used to encourage and justify any action no matter how cruel and detrimental to others.
If our first priority is to an earthly sect be it racial, national, political or religious we become ripe for the use of those who play upon our differences to do mischief. Through the lens of sectarian unquestioned loyalties any war can be justified any injustice excused and any cruelty rationalized. Our God in His Holy Bible has left us the freedom to join and promote any cause we see fit. He lets us love and defend our nation and promote the beliefs of our favorite organizations. However He demands that our first loyalty be to Him and his will expressed in the Holy Bible. (At least in the western world) God has also given us the freedom to voluntarily submit to any religious organization and follow any religious leader we choose as long as we hold the organization and it's leaders to Biblical standards.There is no earthly entity secular or religious that deserves our loyalty or promotes our well being more than the God of the Bible.
With all the competing interests be they gender, racial, religious, tribal, or national the Holy God of the Bible, and His moral precepts when applied universally can be the final arbiter. When Jesus Christ came to earth He brought division as well as liberty. He gave each individual follower a moral compass and gave them the freedom to split from the pack when it became morally incongruous with the word of God. When we make the doctrine and interests of our particular sect our final moral authority we become a slave to faction. Jesus Christ offers us liberty from faction and sectarianism. He frees us to become free moral agents governed voluntarily by God and His Holy Word. When we make anyone other than the Biblical God the final authority on what is morally right we do a disservice to the group of any kind we belong to. We also leave ourselves and the causes and organizations we support vulnerable to tyranny..
Wesley Jones
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